The AI-first mindset: Bosch Global Software Technologies’ playbook for progress

As enterprises move from experimentation to scaled digital maturity, the focus has shifted from implementing tools to embedding intelligence. In this interaction with Dataquest, Ganesh Mahadevan V, CIO and CDO, at Bosch Global Software Technologies, outlines how AI, agility, and adaptability define the next phase of enterprise transformation — and why collaboration, not just capability, drives success in the AI-first era.

How has the approach to digital transformation evolved in recent years, especially as enterprises adapt to shifting markets and customer expectations?

Over the past few years, we have seen digital transformation evolve from being a series of disconnected experiments into a holistic, AI First enterprise strategy. We’ve moved beyond treating technology as a project; it’s now a living capability that continuously adapts to the market and customer needs. At Bosch Global Software Technologies, our goal has been to adopt digital as a cultural mindset, not just a technology upgrade. The focus has shifted from implementing tools to driving value creation — building ecosystems that connect people, processes, and data. Today, digital transformation is about how fast and effectively we can empower teams and accelerate business decisions through intelligent automation and AI-driven insights.

Every investment must translate into measurable impact, whether it’s optimising operations, enhancing productivity, or unlocking new revenue streams.

When it comes to transformation, what’s the most challenging aspect—budget alignment, talent enablement, or demonstrating tangible ROI?

The toughest challenge is not purely financial, it’s cultural. We can align budgets and strategies on paper, but success depends on how we empower people to think digitally and act decisively. We often say, “One dollar saved is one dollar earned.” Every investment must translate into measurable impact, whether it’s optimising operations, enhancing productivity, or unlocking new revenue streams. True ROI emerges when technology, talent, and purpose come together — when people are inspired to create value, not just deliver projects.

The era of transactional partnerships is over. What CIOs need today are co-creation partners who share accountability for outcomes.

Are enterprises doubling down on automation, AI, and cloud adoption, or have priorities shifted towards optimisation and sustainable growth?

Enterprises are doing both. They are certainly accelerating our automation, AI, and cloud initiatives, but with a sharper focus on efficiency and long-term sustainability. Cloud migration, for instance, is only the first step. The real transformation begins when you start re-architecting processes and governance around intelligence and agility. For us, it’s about ensuring that every AI model and automation workflow directly contributes to measurable value creation. Efficiency and innovation must coexist because, at the end of the day, one dollar saved is indeed one dollar earned.

What core principle should guide CIOs today asthey strive to remain agile, business-focused, and future-ready?

It would be: Adapt. Accelerate. Grow.

Adapt: Stay ahead of change by embracing it, not resisting it.

Accelerate: Move fast, but with clarity and governance.

Grow: Focus on sustainable, long-term value creation, not short-term wins.

This mindset defines the AI First Playbook for modern CIOs. Transformation isn’t a one-time project; it’s a continuous loop of learning, experimenting, and scaling responsibly. The goal is not perfection, it’s progress.

How do you see the role of technology partners changing in this environment? What do CIOs and CTOs now expect from their ecosystem collaborators?

The era of transactional partnerships is over. What CIOs need today are co-creation partners who share accountability for outcomes. At Bosch Global Software Technologies, we look for partners who can adapt to our context, empower our teams with capability and insight, and accelerate execution with agility and accountability. The best partnerships go beyond delivery — they co-create value, share risks, and measure success in terms of business impact and value creation.

Modern CIOs expect three things:

1.           Strategic empathy – understand our business before proposing technology.

2.           Co-innovation – work with us to solve real problems, not just sell solutions.

3.           Sustainable impact – ensure that every initiative contributes to efficiency and purpose.

We expect partners to embrace an AI First mindset, accelerate joint outcomes, and empower enterprises to scale responsibly. In today’s economy, collaboration is currency — and as I always remind my teams, one dollar saved is one dollar earned.

shrikanthg@cybermedia.co.in